Pittville School, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, has been rated as a good school following its inspection in June 2019. The headteacher and senior leadership team are effective in ensuring a safe environment where pupils behave well. The school has implemented successful strategies to improve attendance, and pupils are making strong progress from their starting points, with rising standards year-on-year. The quality of teaching is generally good, with pupils taking pride in their work, as evidenced by well-presented exercise books and high productivity levels. However, there are variations in teaching quality, particularly in science, which requires attention.
The curriculum is well-planned, offering a breadth and depth of learning that allows pupils to articulate their understanding across various subjects. The governing body has a strategic vision for the school and works closely with senior leaders to maintain improvement momentum. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is good, with effective teaching in personal, social, and health education contributing to a respectful school culture. Relationships within the school are positive, fostering a calm and orderly community that pupils are proud to be part of.
Leaders effectively utilize pupil premium funding to enhance outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, resulting in rising attainment levels. The school has a clear understanding of its performance, although some areas requiring further focus are not always specifically identified or monitored. To improve further, the school aims to enhance personal development, behavior, and welfare strategies, ensuring that improvements in attendance and reductions in exclusions are sustained. Additionally, leadership and management will focus on empowering middle leaders to address variations in teaching quality, particularly in science, and to use performance information to target specific areas of underperformance.
The quality of teaching, learning, and assessment is good overall, with strong engagement from pupils in well-planned lessons. Teachers provide detailed assessments and feedback in many subjects, although consistency across the school varies. Literacy interventions are effective, and pupils' reading skills are well-developed. However, some areas of teaching are weaker, characterized by insufficiently structured planning. Homework is regularly set and generally effective, with many positive examples noted.
Pupils demonstrate resilience and independence in their learning, although this is not consistent across all subjects. The school actively promotes equality of opportunity, particularly through its personal, social, and health education curriculum, which fosters thoughtful attitudes among pupils. Despite improvements, standards in science remain low due to variations in teaching quality.
Pupils' personal development and welfare are strong, with a well-structured curriculum promoting respect and tolerance. Pupils understand British values and the risks of radicalization, contributing to a culture of care and tolerance. Behaviour is good, with pupils treating each other and staff with respect. The school has successfully reduced the number of exclusions to align with national figures, although tracking and analysis of behaviour could be improved for more precise interventions.
Current pupils continue to make good progress, with well-presented work reflecting high productivity. Progress in English and mathematics is broadly average, while science has lagged behind. The school is addressing the underachievement of high prior-attaining pupils, disadvantaged pupils, and boys, with improvements noted in their progress. Pupils with special educational needs are well-supported, and the school effectively uses catch-up funding to assist those transitioning into Year 7. Overall, Pittville School demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and the well-being of its pupils.
